Posts Tagged ‘placental abruption’

For a lot of people, summer means a trip to the amusement park or water slides. But are these activities still OK if you’re pregnant? Here are some tips:

Roller coasters and thrill rides can be a lot of fun. But it is important to make sure the rides are safe. Most amusement parks post warning signs if a ride is not safe for a pregnant woman—make sure you follow their guidelines.

Avoid rides that have a lot of jerky, bouncing movements. Research suggests that a jolting force can cause the placenta to separate from the uterus. This is known as placental abruption. Although the force is typically stronger than what you would experience on a ride, it is still best to not go on any rides that start and stop suddenly.

Stay away from water slides that cause you to hit the water with excessive force or drop you from a great height.

Be careful on rides that have a moving entry or exit. Your center of gravity may have shifted and you can lose your balance more easily.

While studies have not shown that amusement park rides pose a risk to pregnancy, they have not shown that they are safe either. For this reason, if you have any questions about whether a certain ride is OK during pregnancy, it’s probably best to avoid it. You can always return next year!

If you are pregnant and experience spotting or bleeding, it can be very scary. When you see blood, your first thought may be “is my baby ok?” Bleeding and spotting from the vagina during pregnancy is common. Up to half of all pregnant women have some bleeding or spotting.

Bleeding? Spotting? What’s the difference?

Spotting is light bleeding and happens when you have a few drops of blood in your underwear. Bleeding is a heavier flow of blood, enough that you need a panty liner or pad to keep the blood from soaking your underwear or clothes.

Bleeding in early pregnancy

Bleeding doesn’t always mean there’s a problem, but it can be a sign of serious complications. There are several things that may cause bleeding early in your pregnancy, such as having sex, an infection, or changes in your cervix and hormones. You may bleed a little when the embryo attaches to the lining of your uterus (called implantation bleeding). This may occur 10-14 days after fertilization. Although this spotting is usually earlier and lighter than a menstrual period, some women don’t notice the difference, and don’t even realize they’re pregnant.

Sometimes bleeding and spotting in the first trimester can be a sign of a serious problem such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or molar pregnancy. But keep in mind that bleeding doesn’t always mean miscarriage. At least half of women who have spotting or light bleeding early in pregnancy don’t miscarry.

Bleeding or spotting can happen anytime, from the time you get pregnant to right before you give birth. Bleeding can be a sign of a serious complication, so it’s important you call your prenatal care provider if you have any bleeding or spotting, even if it stops. If the bleeding is not serious, it’s still important that your provider finds out the cause. Do not use a tampon, douche or have sex if you’re bleeding.

Before you call your provider, write down these things:

• How heavy your bleeding is. Is it getting heavier or lighter and how many pads are you using?
• The color of the blood. It can be different colors, like brown, dark or bright red.

Treatment for your bleeding depends on the cause. You may need a medical exam or tests performed by your provider.

Bottom Line

If you are bleeding or spotting at any point in your pregnancy, call your provider right away and describe what you are experiencing. It’s important that your bleeding or spotting is evaluated to determine if it is dangerous to you and your baby.

Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths made up of muscle tissue. They range from pea-size to 5 to 6 inches across. If you have them, you’re in good company. About 20 to 40 percent of women develop fibroids during their reproductive years, most frequently in their 30s and 40s.

Many women with fibroids have no symptoms, while others have symptoms such as:
– Heavy menstrual bleeding
– Anemia (resulting from heavy menstrual bleeding)
– Abdominal or back pain
– Pain during sex
– Difficulty urinating or frequent urination

Your health care provider may first detect fibroids during a routine pelvic exam. The diagnosis can be confirmed with one or more imaging tests.

Small fibroids usually don’t cause problems during pregnancy and usually require no treatment. However, fibroids occasionally break down during pregnancy, resulting in abdominal pain and low-grade fever. Treatment includes bedrest and pain medication. Multiple or large fibroids may need to be surgically removed, generally before pregnancy, to avoid potential complications associated with pregnancy. Due to pregnancy hormones, fibroids sometimes grow larger during pregnancy. Rarely, large fibroids may block the uterine opening, making a cesarean birth necessary.

Most women with fibroids have healthy pregnancies. However, fibroids can increase the risk of certain pregnancy complications, including:
– Infertility
– Miscarriage
– Preterm labor
– Abnormal presentation (such as breech position)
– Cesarean birth (usually due to breech position)
– Placental abruption (separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus before birth)
– Heavy bleeding after birth

If a health care provider determines that a woman’s infertility or repeated pregnancy losses are probably caused by fibroids, he may recommend surgery to remove the fibroids. This surgery is called a myomectomy. In some cases, myomectomy can be done during hysteroscopy.